I rode this insanely popular $2,499 smart bike and now I get the hype

I'm not by any means a competitive biker. I don't track metrics, don't plan on beating people's speeds in Strava, and for the most part, I don't log more than 15 miles on my bike a day before I feel like keeling over.

But when I got a chance at riding a bike designed for competitive cycling, I had to see what the fuss was about. Bike company SpeedX is selling an aerodynamic carbon-fiber road bike on Indiegogo with a ton of smart integrations. It's raised nearly $3 million so far.

I tested out the SpeedX Leopard Pro, one of the company's two models. This one costs $2,699, but there's also a base model that costs $1,700. These are technically full retail prices, but if you're an early bird, it's cheaper on Indiegogo.

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The bike weighs in at 17.4 pounds. I could easily lift it and sling it over my shoulder while walking.

Clinton Nguyen/Tech Insider

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There are connectors in the front that allow you to add a front light, which is sold separately. The battery here houses the bike's electronic gear shifting system.

Clinton Nguyen/Tech Insider

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The bike has an 11-speed gear set, and I could switch easily between gears using the electronic shifting system.

Clinton Nguyen/Tech Insider

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On both ends of the handlebars, there are two buttons — one that shifts gears or speeds up, and the others, down. These shifts would be changed electronically, rather than the manual shifts you see in normal road bikes.

Clinton Nguyen/Tech Insider

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The grips on the bikes are made of a comfortable, rubbery material that isn't too grippy or slippery.

Clinton Nguyen/Tech Insider

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The bike comes with a tail light, which lights up as soon as the light sensor on top of the bike sees it's getting dark.

Clinton Nguyen/Tech Insider

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The bike's handlebars have gear and speed shifters that are wired through the frame's tubing. Unlike a traditional road bike where all the cables are shown outside, the Leopard's are threaded and hidden inside.

Clinton Nguyen/Tech Insider

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The bike doesn't have clipped pedals, but they were grippy enough for the soles of my sneakers.

Clinton Nguyen/Tech Insider

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The wheels are carbon-fiber too—probably lighter than the aluminum variety you can grab in your local bike shop.

Clinton Nguyen/Tech Insider

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The bike's battery is housed in the back of the seat post and lasts almost 50 miles before it needs to be recharged. The company says it takes about 30 minutes to recharge fully.

Clinton Nguyen/Tech Insider

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Through wheel sensors, the bike captures average speed, distance, and cadence (the rate at which your legs are cycling) and logs all the data to SpeedX's proprietary app. The company plans to add more functionality later on, including navigation.

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When I started out, I didn't realize my bike was at the lowest possible speed — my legs were cycling maniacally at 3 miles an hour. But after some adjustments, I got it changed to a comfortable speed.

Clinton Nguyen/Tech Insider

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Pretty soon I was racing down the block against taxis. The ride was light, and though the bike was a little short for my frame, the pedals gripped well.

Clinton Nguyen/Tech Insider

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I felt it was easy to build up speed as I went on, and the bike was even faster and easier to control than my $300 track bike.

Clinton Nguyen/Tech Insider

Would I spend a good chunk of my income on a bike like the Leopard Pro? It was a sweet ride, and for the ten minutes I spent riding it around a couple blocks, it could definitely beat the aluminum-frame bike I have at home.

I feel like the Leopard would be fantastic on a track or city trail, but for my purposes, I never feel the need to quantify anything about my exercise.

That said, the company judiciously hid all the unseemly parts you'd see on regular bikes — the tangle of brake cables and speed cables, all of which can be damaged if you're not careful.

If I were a more serious cyclist, I wouldn't hesitate to throw some money down for the cheaper model, both for the integrated exercise metrics and apps as well as the bike's spiffy construction.